Chapter Twelve: Mad Necromancer

Agni stopped moving as the sword pierced his flesh, the woman looked on a grim expression on her face, how did she expect to defend herself with such weak minions Dayn thought to himself. Suddenly Agni jerked forward, pulling himself deeper onto Dayn's claymore, The necromancer burst into hysterical laughter, "Naive child, did you think it would be see easy!"

Sieri and Ziri peppered the other minion with arrows and bullet fire but nothing seemed to prevent it from continuing to shamble forward, "My creations regenerate indefinitely, the only thing that can stop them no longer exists in this world!" The woman's face was plastered with an expression of sheer pleasure, she was enjoying every second of this, "Soon I'll have your souls too" she said rubbing the gem on her cheek lovingly.

Agni continued to advance down the length of the sword, Dayn closed his eyes for a moment, the blade began to burn with silver fire, the necromancers face twisted into an expression of astonishment as the fire enveloped her creation.

"No!" she screamed in anger, "This is not possible!" she glared with unbridled hatred at Dayn as the zombie of Agni broke away from his weapon in chunks of ashy charcoal. She pointed at Dayn and a beam of crackling black and green energy erupted from her fingertip slamming into his chest and tossing him backwards. Her smile began to return but quickly faded as Dayn climbed back to his feet.

"A little help here?" Ziri asked the zombie nearly upon her and Sieri, Dayn redirected a thin line of the fire from his sword, it struck the abominations torn trousers and in moments completely engulfed it. A smug smirk found its way onto Sieri's face "What now whore, your shield might defend you against our weapons but how will it hold up against a flaming claymore?"

The necromancer turned her attention towards the captives huddled in fear in the corners of their cells, Dayn stood in front of her "I don't think so, you'll never reach them before I strike you down." She began to chant, Sieri looked horrified, "Stop her, she's casting a spell" she shouted above the rising crescendo.

Ziri fired an arrow however as before it bounced off some manner of shimmering force surrounding the villainess, Dayn unleashed the fire from his sword in a beam of concentrated energy. The energy passed through her barrier and struck her in the side, she stuttered for a moment but the chant continued. Dayn charged in sword point out forward intending to run her through, as her chant reached completion he found himself moving slower as skeletal hands crawled from the dirt grasping at his feet and ankles.

The woman gave him an angry hateful glare, "You won't defeat me a second time" she said as she snapped her fingers vanishing from site in a puff of dark smoke. With her disappearance the hands didn't stop, they clawed their way out of the dirt revealing grinning skulls, Dayn battered away at them with his weapon with every struck down another rose.

Ziri dropped her bow drawing her twin short swords, she cut a path into the field of bones helping Dayn to retreat from the grasping limbs, upon escape the group found themselves looking upon a host of fifteen skeletons some missing arms. Horrified screams erupted from within the cells, the monsters split up each shambling towards a different cell trying to force their way in, all thoughts of the necromancer flew from Dayn's mind at that moment.

"Hurry we need to stop them" he shouted above the noise of bone scraping away at metal bars, Sieri fired away with her weapons shattering a pair of skulls, Ziri moved to another cell going to work with her swords scattering bones as each skeleton fell. Dayn rushed to the far cell bludgeoning the monsters with the side of his claymore, making sure they didn't get back up. He felt something brush passed him while engaged, turning around to look when the area was clear moments later he saw nothing.

The skeletons weren't difficult to defeat however they did hold the groups attention for some time, one had managed to squeeze through the bars and almost made it to the villagers before a pistol shell took it down. When the battle concluded Dayn took a moment to look over the scared people, about a quarter of the villagers were missing including Father Archibald, He found Sister Eve huddled in a corner concealing some children.

"Its over now sister, lets get you home" Sister Eve looked up at Dayn in surprise, he was still a young child the last time she saw him and although his voice was deeper she recognized him immediately. Tears rimmed her bright hazel eyes, "They....they killed the father, and Sister Helen" Dayn's eyes burned with a silent rage, "We'll get you out of here, the orcs are being dealt with."

Sieri took Dayn to the side while Ziri was helping out with binding small scrapes and cuts, "A lot of them are missing, looks like mostly men" Dayn nodded, "The village elder, Father Archibald, Agni, amongst others." She looked at him seriously, "Will they be alright returning to Sartann? Most of the village militia are missing as well." Dayn thought about it for a moment, "They'll probably be split, the ones who lost family will want to leave while others will want to stay, I'll escort any who want to leave to Kanyra but we can't force the rest."

Concern showed itself clearly on the young gnomes face, they both knew that if even half of them wanted to leave those that remained weren't likely to survive, they could try to convince them but ultimately the choice would be their own. They were pulled from their thoughts by the approaching sound of many heavily booted footsteps.